German manufacturer to establish first U.S. operation in Henry County

Gov. Ralph Northam announced today that SCHOCK GmbH, the inventor of quartz composite sinks, will invest $85 million to establish its first U.S. manufacturing operation in Henry County. Virginia successfully competed with Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina for the project, which will create 355 new jobs.

Northam met with company officials in Regen, Germany, in May. SCHOCK GmbH will occupy the Lot 8 Shell Building, a 95,500-square-foot facility on 14.7 acres in Patriot Centre Industrial Park.

“We are excited to welcome SCHOCK to Virginia,” said Northam. “This important European company is choosing to invest in Virginia because of our highly skilled workers and our outstanding business climate. When a global leader like SCHOCK selects Virginia as its gateway into the United States, that’s a sign that this is a great place to do business. We look forward to a successful partnership for many years to come.”

The Commonwealth has secured more than $48 billion in capital investment and has created 91,000 new jobs since Governor Northam took office in January 2018. Virginia has attracted major investments from leading companies like Amazon, Facebook, and Micron, and many other prominent businesses who are choosing to deepen their roots in the Commonwealth. Northam has announced 839 total new economic development projects.

Founded in 1924 and headquartered in Regen, Germany, SCHOCK invented the quartz composite sink in 1979. SCHOCK has been a leading innovator in the field through its commitment to product development and traditional craftsmanship for more than 40 years. The company holds over 100 patents. SCHOCK offers a broad product portfolio comprised of over 200 sink models in more than 40 colors within its product lines CRISTALITE® and CRISTADUR®, including its CRISTADUR® GREEN Line sinks, which are made of approximately 99 percent natural, renewable, or recycled raw materials.

“This substantial investment and the creation of over 350 high-quality jobs is a tremendous economic boost for Henry County and the entire region,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Martinsville-Henry County has made a commitment to infrastructure, education, and workforce in the region, and we are confident the company will benefit from these efforts. We welcome SCHOCK to the Commonwealth and thank the company for this major investment.

SCHOCK will complete its operation in phases. Phase one will be completed over a five-year period, during which the company will establish the manufacturing capability to produce quartz composite kitchen sinks in their new Virginia location.

“For SCHOCK, this expansion is very special—it’s our first production site outside Germany,” said SCHOCK Chief Executive Officer Ralf Boberg. “The facility will serve the strongest growth market for our product category and allow us to meet demand for colored kitchen sinks with local ‘Made in the USA’ products. We are thrilled to have found the ideal location in Henry County. As an industrial business hub, the region has a well-qualified and dedicated workforce—one of the key success factors for us as a company—and its geographic location and interregional infrastructure are perfect for our needs.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation to secure the project for Virginia. Northam approved a $1.7 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Henry County with the project. The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

Support for SCHOCK’s job creation will be provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a workforce initiative created by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System and other higher education partners. Funding support came from the Northam administration and the Virginia General Assembly. The program, which launched in 2019, accelerates new facility start-ups through the direct delivery of recruitment and training services that are fully customized to a company’s unique products, processes, equipment, standards, and culture. All program services are provided at no cost to qualified new and expanding companies as an incentive for job creation.

“SCHOCK is an absolutely perfect fit for Henry County,” said Henry County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Adams. “We are excited to have SCHOCK join the county’s corporate community and look forward to what the future will bring.”

“I am pleased to see that SCHOCK has selected the Patriot Centre Industrial Park in Henry County for its first U.S. manufacturing operation,” said U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem. “The jobs projected to come to the Martinsville-Henry County area over the next several years will be a great contribution to the community. I congratulate Governor Northam’s office and all the state and local leaders that helped make this happen.”

“The Patriot Centre Industrial Park’s manufacturing facility was created to attract high-paying jobs to the Martinsville and Henry County communities, and now that investment is paying dividends for our community,” said State Sen. William “Bill” Stanley, R-Moneta. “With the addition of SCHOCK GmbH to the Patriot Centre, Southside continues to demonstrate to industries that our region is the best place to do business in a 21st-century economy.”

“The creation of hundreds of new jobs from this investment is excellent news for the people and communities of Henry County,” said Del. Les Adams, R-Chatham. “I am pleased to join with others in welcoming SCHOCK GmbH to our region and congratulate all those involved in bringing this new investment.”